Sleep apnea decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is related to his military service, specifically his in-service herbicide agent and MOS TERA exposures, or if it is caused by his service-connected COPD. The VA examiner was asked to provide an opinion on these issues.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to a pre-decisional error in obtaining an examination and opinion under the PACT Act. The Veteran's exposure to toxins, including burning human waste, is considered during the evaluation.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acne, hernia disability, bowel disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and lumbosacral strain as there is no persuasive evidence to support these claims.

The Board has decided that service connection for sinusitis is denied. The issue of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea is remanded and a new medical examination is required.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have caused his obstructive sleep apnea. The hiatal hernia claim was denied due to lack of a current diagnosis, and the right upper extremity neuritis rating has been increased from 20% to 40%.

New and relevant evidence has been submitted to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for left knee, chronic fatigue syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, plantar fasciitis, and stomach disability (GERD). The claims are being remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and sleep apnea, but granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection was not established for bilateral hearing loss or sleep apnea due to lack of evidence showing a current disability related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted. The claims for varicose veins of the right leg and left leg are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's lumbosacral strain is secondary to his service-connected bilateral flat feet, but a remand is required to obtain an addendum medical opinion addressing whether the flat feet aggravated the lumbosacral strain.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral DDD and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy with obesity as an intermediate step. The decision is based on evidence showing that the Veteran's obesity was caused by his service-connected conditions, which in turn caused his sleep apnea.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA). The AOJ must confirm whether the Veteran participated in a TERA and undertake appropriate development, including providing a TERA examination if confirmed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further consideration of his claims regarding service connection and initial rating for bibasilar atelectasis, as well as his claim for sleep apnea. The effective date for the grant of service connection remains October 10, 2024.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus. For his obstructive sleep apnea, the Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding its relationship to active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of all pending claims.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and hypertension have been dismissed due to concurrent election of review options. The appeal for numbness of the right foot is being remanded, as well as the claim involving a disability of the right shoulder, knee, ankle, and foot (to include consideration of gout).,The Veteran's claims for service connection are pending on remand.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection due to untimely filing of appeal requests.

The Board denied service connection for neck pain, DDD other than IVDS and lumbosacral strain, right trochanteric pain syndrome, and left trochanteric pain syndrome due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.,Service connection was not granted on a presumptive basis as arthritis is not considered a chronic disease for purposes of VA compensation.

The Board has determined that the initial decision denying eligibility for PCAFC benefits was not supported by adequate and sufficient evidence, as it did not provide a summary of the evidence or applicable laws and regulations. The Veteran's need for personal care services due to his psychiatric disorder, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, hypothyroidism, and musculoskeletal conditions has been questioned.

The Veteran's eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) is being remanded due to a disagreement with the determination that he does not need personal care services from another person for at least six continuous months. The Board requests an adequate medical opinion regarding his need for personal care and supervision.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of a VA examination addressing whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.